Along with Oscar G., Ralph Falcon, and Robbie Rivera, Armand Peña, has played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of dance music in Miami. He is not only a prolific producer, remixing tracks by Ralph Falcon, Oscar G., and DMS12, to name a few, but performs from 11PM to 5AM every Sunday night at Nikki Beach. When he isn’t behind the decks in Miami, he’s spinning in South America, Ibiza, or a myriad of other locations around the world.
Clubplanet recently got the chance to sit down with Armand and talk about his latest original releases Lagged and Flight 023, his upcoming album, and who he enjoys doing shots with most.
Clubplanet: What have you been up to lately?
Arman Peña: I just finished a couple of projects, worked on a few records with Ralph [Falcon]. I like working with the DJs here because I’m a fan of a lot of my friends. Oscar [G.], Ralph, those guys have been like brothers. I was actually in the studio with [former Dirty Vegas member] Paul Harris, and we finished a project together. DJ Bruno and I just recorded a live album together at Nikki Beach that will be available this summer. It’s great—you can hear everyone in the crowd going crazy. Now I’m focusing on my album mostly. I’m working on all originals, and I am aiming for the project to be done by next year.
CP: Certain cities are characterized by a specific sound. What is the Miami sound and who epitomizes it?
Arman Peña: The homegrown guys like Oscar and Ralph have shaped the Miami sound. Them and Robbie [Rivera] as well. Their embedded percussion and the Latin feel is the Miami sound. It’s coming back strong because everybody in Europe is actually doing the Miami sound, but those guys are the ones who have stapled it here.
CP: What are your influences outside of dance music?
Arman Peña: Live musicians, seeing live acts has fuelled me to get more creative, to feed off of that. My kids, my son is an inspiration for me. The people, seeing how everybody reacts. Electronic music talks to everybody. I don’t care if you’re from Korea, I don’t care if you’re Indian, I don’t care if you’re Latin American, it just moves everybody. That is something really special, because you don’t see that with any other genre.
CP: Your dad was a DJ. What role did that play in your life?
Arman Peña: He would throw random parties, but it was more in a Latin scene. I was growing up in that environment. Once I was about to finish high school, he was done with the parties and everything, and he had his equipment lying around. One day I decided to mix Young MC with Black Box, Everybody, and I was like “hey I like this” (laughs).
CP: What are some of your hobbies?
Arman Peña: I love the outdoors, I love the ocean, I love the Caribbean. Give me a bottle of rum, and throw me on an island and I’m happy. That’s what I see every time I go in to the studio, that’s my vision. I have to see the Caribbean. I see peace in my mind. I can’t have dark clouds, you know? I also love boating. I recently purchased a boat, so I like to go boating and fishing.
CP: I noticed that you are very animated when you perform, how do you think that plays a role in your DJing?
Arman Peña: When I do that, I’m with the crowd. I get a lot of good responses. A lot of girls, are like, “We love you because you’re not just the DJ behind the booth, all serious. You are dancing with us and jumping around.” It’s being at the party and being in the party. I love that, I’m out of my realm if I’m not with the party.
CP: What do you enjoy playing more, a giant crowd or a smaller venue?
Arman Peña: A big club like Privilege [in Ibiza] is not so intimate. I like smaller clubs where you are actually with the crowd, and you interact with the crowd. I love that environment. Big clubs are great, but you don’t get to be with the crowd. I like being there with the crowd, I like having shots with the crowd (laughs).
CP: You put out a lot of tracks, but you don’t sacrifice quality for quantity. What’s your secret?
Arman Peña: I appreciate that, thanks (laughs). I learned this years ago when I was having a conversation with friends. They said to never be in the category where you sound the same, you always want to do something different even if you are doing a bunch of tracks. I always try not to be the same, ever. It’s exciting, always on working projects that are different.
CP: Where do you feel more comfortable, in the booth or the studio?
Arman Peña: They’re both home, they really are. The studio is more creativity. The booth is both creativity and a show. Putting on a great show is like being in the studio because I don’t just play a record, I remix things live on the fly, which is great because people think it’s the record but it’s not. I’m working twice as hard mixing three things at the same time.
CP: What do you have in store for the immediate future?
Arman Peña: I’m excited about the new projects that I’m working on that are going to be fully vocal influenced. Songs that really talk to people, that are about something. That and an album, which will be a big project for me because it will be the first one I’ve done. I’ve done remixes for so many people, and tracks more than anything, so this year I’m really just focusing on an album and original projects. Music that can be played on radio, but still have that edge to it.
To hear more from Armand Peña, check out www.myspace.com/djarmandpena.